Sainsbury's Leek

The community centre is here to provide a stable support system to the residents in the area. We are home to a number of other charities and community groups that provide much needed activities and access to further networks of support. We also run a project called the Community Cupboard. Through this project we collect ambient foods from local supermarkets and projects that are available to families at no cost. Helping families through tough times. The project is open to everyone, and those that can afford make donations to the centre to help with help to make the project sustainable. To encourage the community cupboard project we offer community cookery days, set around a theme, teaching people how to cook tasty, easy and affordable meals form the foods we have on offer.

I have recently opened a Community Fridge which I run from my house. It is a new shed that contains a fridge, freezer and shelving so we can store foods correctly that can be used by the local people in our village and surrounding areas. I work closely with other local businesses in the village too. All the services I provide are free. Before Christmas my children and a couple of volunteers made up food boxes and delivered these to around 50 houses in our local village which everyone appreciated. We have around 100-150 people drop by each week that take the food, and certainly a demand for it in our area. We have a parish magazine that I was mentioned in last month and this next month now my shed is fully open(we’ve had a new tarmac drive) so had to just adjust and work round this!) they have written a piece about me to go in Aprils edition. Here are some photos attached of the shed and my little boy helping me in his wheel chair deliver the food boxes before Xmas. Also a photo of me with all the potatoes we saved from sainsburys before Xmas when the other charities were closed so they asked me if I could take them. Another photo attached of inside my shed with the fridge and freezer and the shelving - currently empty but will be full of bread later!

- The prevention or relief of poverty - Other charities or voluntary bodies - The general public/mankind - Other charitable activities We provide emergency food parcels to anyone in need in Leek and the surrounding area. We also have our own in-house Citizens Advice service to support clients with the issues which lead them to need to use a foodbank. Clients can be referred to us by a wide variety of referral agents, or can self refer. We can then work with them and our CA advisor to identify their needs above and beyond a food parcel. Our services are completely free of charge to all of our clients.